Tottenham’s first transfer window without Daniel Levy at the helm has already sent a powerful signal to the football world, with the club’s fresh leadership backing Roberto De Zerbi to build the squad he wants, and doing it early. Several of the Italian’s top targets were through the door before pre-season training even began, handing him a reshaped squad from day one. Spurs aren’t done yet either, with further attacking reinforcements still expected before the window shuts.
Glenn Hoddle has been full of praise for how the summer business has been handled, not just in terms of quality but timing. The former Spurs boss sees it as a sharp departure from the Levy era, recalling how his own time at White Hart Lane was hampered by deals dragging on until the final days of the window, leaving him short of the players he actually wanted heading into a new season.
Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast, Hoddle pointed to Tottenham’s brush with relegation last term as a turning point for the club. Back-to-back 17th-place finishes, he said, were a stark warning sign, and another poor season could easily have ended in the drop.
He was equally complimentary about the club’s transfer strategy this summer, praising the pace at which deals have been struck. Under Levy, he explained, business was often left late, a habit that regularly left managers without reinforcements once the campaign had already started.
Despite Tottenham’s big outlay this summer drawing some criticism, with suggestions the club overpaid for certain targets, Hoddle argued the spending has actually been shrewder than it looks on the surface. He singled out the free-transfer captures of Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Martin Dúbravka as proof the club found real value without spending a penny in fees.
Asked whether Levy’s late-window habits were rooted in a desire to cut costs, Hoddle agreed that had been part of the old philosophy. He believes De Zerbi has flipped that approach entirely, identifying his priority targets early and getting full backing from the club to land them.
Hoddle’s overall verdict is that Tottenham’s business this summer looks strong on paper, blending big-money arrivals with smart, cost-effective additions. With three free transfers sitting alongside the more expensive signings, he feels Spurs have struck a financially sound balance even after a summer of heavy spending.
